Oil stratifying method and apparatus



April 26, 1949. l M. J. NAPIER 2,468,636

-OIL STRATIFYING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Feb. 26, 1945 2 sheets-smet 1 STORAGE SACKER. AT'roRNLYs April 26, 1949. M. J. rNAPIER 2,468,636

ou. STRATIFYING METHOD AND APPARATUS l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 28, .1945

M 50 TO GLUE. RECOVERY INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented pr. 26, 19d@ @EL STRATIFYNG METHOD AND APPARATUS Melvin J. Napier, Akron, Ohio, assignor to Miami Boiler @t Machine Company, Inc., Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 28, 1945, Serial N0. 580,233

(Cl. 26o-412.6)

9 Claims. l

This invention relates to the art of processing organic materials, and more especially it relates to procedure and apparatus for recovering valuable residual products from the refuse of food processing plants.

The invention is applicable to the processing of both animal and vegetable products, and Will be described herein as it applies to the processing of marine animal products, specifically iish, to recover oil therefrom, and sometimes glue if deslred, and to produce a dried food product suitable for live stock and poultry from the solids of the treated material.

The full advantages of the invention are realized when it is installed on seagoing fishing ships that may operate two or three hundred miles from their home ports. On such ships at present it is customary to toss overboard the poisonous fish and ish too small to fillet, and to pack the remainder of the catch in ice in the hold of the ship and bring it to port to be processed. By means of the present invention, it will be possible to dress the sh during the return trip to port. Thus large fish may be cut into steaks and cold-packed. Smaller sh may Abe lleted and the fillets packed in ice. Fish too small to be lleted, and waste products such as heads, tails, ns, viscera and the like irrimediately may be utilized to produce lish oil, fish meal, and glue if desired, thus increasing the prot to the fisherman for his labors. Furthermore, such delay as would occur if the wasteproducts were returned to port for processing is obviated, and putrifaction is avoided, thus avoiding the creation of unpleasant odors and unsanitary working conditions. Furthermore, since sh are 70% water, the practice of the invention, whereby the water is removed from the fish, Will enable a ship to return to port with a pay load nearly three times greater in volume than was heretofore possible.

The chief objects oi the invention are to provide in an improved and eiiicient manner for the recovery ol valuable residua-T. products :trom the waste-products of ood processing plants; to provide a completely enclosed system for processing organic materials; to provide apparatus for the purpose mentioned that is substantially automatic in operation; to provide a system of the character mentioned that is especially adapted for installation aboard ships; and to enable ships to return to port with a larger pay load. More specically the invention aims to utilize residual products that previously were discarded; and to do so while maintaining healthful and not CSI unpleasant working conditions. Other objects will be manifest as the description proceeds.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a somewhat diagrammatic View of apparatus embodying and adapted for the practice of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a wiring diagram of an electric control system that effects automatically synchronized operation of some of the elements of the apparatus.

The method of the invention briefly may be summarized as follows: The waste 'ish products rst are cut into relatively small pieces, and then conveyed to a storage receptacle. From the latter the cuttings pass by gravity into a cooker through which they are slowly forced, under pressure, and exposed for a suitable length of time to cooking temperature. While cooking, the cuttings are agitated, stirred, and mangled to effect maximum disintegration, the product discharged from the cooker being substantially in the form of mash or pulp. Next the pulp is treated to a grinding or pulverizing operation which comminutes the fish bones, which have been softened by cooking. The mash, still hot, is forced into a separator or skimming tank where it separates into its component ingredients, the solids settling to the bottom, the oil rising to the top, the water and glue constituting the intermediate stratum. The content of the skimming tank is maintained under pressure to prevent undue agitation resulting from motion of the boat. When the skimming tank is full, the upper stratum of oil is drawn off and passed first to a settling tank to remove any solid particles in suspension, and then passed into storage. As soon as the amount of oil in the skimming tank reaches a determinate minimum, pulp is progressively removed from the bottom thereof and conveyed to a dryer where moisture is removed therefrom, the dry meal then being sacked and stored. If desired the water with glue in solution may be withdrawn from the skimming tank at any time and passed to a glue recovery system, but this is not an essential feature of the invention.

Referring now to Fig. l of the drawings, there is shown at It a shredding apparatus of any known or preferred design, which apparatus receives fish products manually deposited therein, and cuts said products into pieces of smaller size. From the shredder Ill an enclosed conveyor H extends to the top of a storage receptacle I2 wherein the shredded product is received and stored pending subsequent treatment. The conveyor Il may consist of an endless belt, or it may be a screw conveyor if desired. Preferably the receptacle I2 is closed except for the inlet opening through which the conveyor Il discharges its load, and one or more discharge chutes I.3..at the, bottom thereof through. which the shcuttings passi by gravity.

Position-ed below the storage receptacle I 2 is a digester or cooker I5. Although but one of the. latter is shown, it is contemplated that several may be provided, and as many concurrently used 'as is necessary to handle the cuttings dumped' into the receptacle I2. The cooker I5 isA anA elangate structure having a feed-,screw I3 .therein `adapted to impel the cuttings from one end thereof to the other, the chute I3 from the receptacle discharging into thev cooker at one end thereof. The screw It is driven by afrnotor il' through the agency of gearing enclosed in a gear housing YI.,.and not only impels the work,. but places it under pressure and stirs and mangles it. The cooker is steam jacketed so as to'heat the product passing therethrough, thespeedi of feed of the screw being such that the product i's cooked for approximatelytwenty minutes in the cooker. At the delivery end of theV cooker is a discharge chute I9' that extends froml the Atop of the cooker so as to require pressure on the productto force the same from the cooker. The delivery end4 of the cooker also is provided with a. sump 2li into which `:foreign objectswillV collect, andv from which they subsequently may be re'- moved'.

Positioned `to receiveY the hot cooked product from 4the chute I9 isagrinderl 22'. The'vlatter, .which maybe of any suitable or preferred con-- struction, nely comminutes the cooked-product, including the fish bones which have been renideredsoft bythe cooking operation. Afterv grinding, the' product is a viscous ilowable' pulp'ror mash. Saidrmashis removed; from thel grinder byf'meansof av pump '2'3 driveny by-a motor' 24', andl'is discharged from the pump 213 through a pipeV or'condui-tZE that extends-substantially to the bottom offa skimming-tank that isdesignated asa wholebytheAnu-meral 25. There isa-check valve-35 in rpipe 25, which: valvepreven-ts recession of mashin the pipewhen pump not in operation. Said skimming tank is composed of a-pluralityf-of' cylindricalf tanks- 2T, 2'? intercom nected by ducts 28, '28 of large capacity, the-ar rangement being such as toobtain the strength of" circular tanksI without the waste of space wl-"licl'r` Wouldlresult a single-circular tank were used?. Positioned atop the tan-ks '7i-'Iv is an. oil chamber 25T that is incommunicationv with-all of said! tanks 27. Mounted' adjacent the skimming tank is ani accumulator 30 that comprises-a hol`- low cylinder havingua pistonelike element 3'! mounted .therein-and. vmovalfsle in a verticalv di'- rection` according to the pressure of iluid .insaid hollowI cylinder; Fluid iszforced into and out-of theflatter. through: a pipef-E. that: is incommunication.l with: the oil chamber'. 21S; at. theI top thereof. Tlleelementzal iiszshown in. fully elevated position in Fig. l and in broken lines in Fig.. 2, and is shownfinfits .lowermost position in fu'lllines. in 2:y Mountedi upon. thea side of the skimming tank':2 ononanyfoth'er suitable support, is an 'electrical switch that. has. an. operating lever that.: projects1:into the path. of a flange Se located attheitopvioftpiston-lke elementi 3.I;..the;arrange; merrtffbeingf such'.y thatV said ila-nge engages .and operatesl said switchwhen .ther element. 3 I is: in1 'its lowermost position', asl is-clearly-f shownsin Fig.. .2.

The switch 33 is opened by the action of the ange 3d thereagainst, the switch closing when the element 3| rises appreciably above its lowermost position. The function of the switch 33 in the operation of the `apparatus presently will be explained. At the highest point of the oil chamber 29,l above. the openingof pipe" 32 thereinto, is a dome in which is an air vent controlled by a float valve 46. The arrangement enables air to escape during filling of the skimming tank, the valve closing after the bottom of the accumulator is full so that pressure may be built up in the tank.

Extend-ingfrom the top of the oil chamber 29 isa pipe or ductthrough Which oil is removed therefrom. Said pipe 36 preferably discharges into a lsettling tank C31, from which the oil is removed by Way of a pipe or duct 38 and delivered to a storage tank 39. In the settling tank 3l any solids in suspension are removed from the oil so that only-the clear 4product yis `placed' 'in storage. Thepipe 35 communicatesu with the oil-chamber 29 through'the agency of' anr adiustablefcontrol valve lil that opens only when the-pressure-'Within the oil chamber is greater than the oily pressure required to e1evate-thepiston-like-element 3l to its uppermost position. Alsomounted-inthe-ftop of'theoil' chamber Z9 is anl inwardly openingrelief val-ve 4I vadapted to admit airto the inte-rior of the skimming tank andv thus to prevent the establishing o-f sub-atmospheric pressure therein, upon occasion, suchr as when thecontentsof-l the tank are being withdrawn, asv presentlyl will be explained. Tapping the skimming tank'26,-some what below the middle 'altitude thereof, isa pipe 152 through which water, with glue in solution, may be withdrawn and conductedtov afglue--recovery system. They latter isxnot a part of' the presentv invention, and for that reason is 'not shown or described herein. A smallwwindow or peep hole llisloca-ted in thewallofthe skimming tank 2.5, near-the pipe 42,so that the'- height `fof the precipitated solidsv in the bottom ofthe. tank may be determined'iby.visualobservatiod Thebottoms of the individualgunits. 21 ofthe settling tank ziipreferably are .conioat'as shown, and intersecting said4 conical bottoms: anunloadingduct 481. that. is in communication with the interior ofthe several duct 4,8 thatvis in communication with the interior of the several .units 21. operatively mounted within the duct 48 is afeedr screw- 9; that is rotated: at f suitable angular speed by an. electric motor 50' located adjacent one-endv ofthe duct. The function of the feed screwvdl is to remove sludge or solids from the skimming tank 26 and; impel. the lsame through the unloadingduct 48 to. one end of the latter, andinto a discharge pipe. 5I that is in communication with the ydelivery end of, saidy duct. A small pipe 52 connects thed-isscharge end of the duct 48 with the interior of the skimming tank to relieve excessive pressure that; maybe built up in the duct-by the screw-49.

The pipe 5I extends to a pump 53 driven by amotor 58, and thence-to adrying apparatus'15i4, which may bev of any known or preferred type, but is conventionallyshown as comprising a pair of opposed, heated rolls 55, 55 that receive the sludge in the bite of the rolls and dry the same, the dried product being removed therefrom in the form of meal. The dry meal isv removed from the dryer .by a conveyor 56 vofany ysuitable kind,.and delivered tov asackingf deyicaindicated at:r 51 where `measured quantities; ofithef meal are placed. in lsacks for. Ystorage :andfsubsequent shipment and use. The particular sacking device employed is not a part of the present invention so that a more detailed showing thereof need not be presented.

The general operation of the system will be apparent from the foregoing description thereof. During such operation the oil is removed automatically from the oil chamber 2Q, and subsequently the sludge is automatically removed from the bottom of the skimming tank. Such automatic operation of the latter is achieved by means of electrical apparatus, the wiring diagram of which is shown in Fig. 2, to which attention now is directed. Said circuit comprises a main power circuit Sil lfor energizing the motor and motor 53, said power circuit including a normally open, relay-operated switch and a manually operated two-pole double throw switch From the power circuit 6c extends a branch circuit e3 that controls the operation cf the glue recovery system. said circuit being so connected to circuit Sil as to be unaffected b switches El, There is a anually operated two-pole single thow switch @t in circuit et by means of which the glue recovery system may be put into operation at any time. There is also a circuit b5 connectin T switch to switch Eil whereby the glue recovery system may, if desired, be put into operation automatically, while the motors 5l? and and unloading mechnism operated thereby are idle.

A control circuit of lower voltage than the power circuit El? is provided for effecting automatic operation of a relay t8, which relay operates the aforementioned rel-ay switch t i. Said control circuit comprises conductors that are operatively connected to the power circuit til through the agency of the usual transformer ll. The switch that is operated by the accumulator 3S,

in a circuit l2, one conductor of which is connectel to conductor 69 and the other conductor of which extends to one side of a relay i3, the lest mentioned conductor having a normally closed, manually operated push button switch 'ill mounted therein. The relay operates two normally open switches l5 and l5. Switch 'l5 is connested by conductor il to conductor lil, and when actuated by relay said switch "i5 makes contact with conductor that connects to one side of relay the other side of the latter being connected to conductor Thus actuation of relay will result in actuation o; relay to close switch Si in the power circuit to motors di? and 58.

in conjunction with circuit 'E2 to operate relay "i3 is a circuit 'that extends to a switch Si, one conductor or circuit 89 being connected to conductor 'le and the other conductor being connected to the other side of relay '53. The sii/itch Si is of the type known to trade as a Thyratron electronic controlled switch. lt is mounted in the wall of the skimming tank somewhat near the top thereof. and has two spaced-apart terminals that project into the interior of the tank so as to be submerged in the fluid contents thereof. The switch terminals are so spaced that when submerged in oil, no electric current will 'cass therebetween, but when submerged in water, very small current will flow across their gap. rlhis small current is amplified by suitable instrurnentalities located in the receptacle il?. It will be seen that switch Si is in series with switch 33 in the circuit of relay 13, so that when switch Si submerged in water and switch 33 is closed by reason of the elevation of member 3i of accumulator 3S. the relay 's3 automatically is energized to close switches 15, lt. There is a manually operated, normally open push button switch 83 across circuit t9 by which the latter may be closed at any time, whereby relays llt and i3 may be closed to effect operation of motors 5l) and 58 at any time that member 3l is in elevated position. Relay switch it has a connection Sli with the conductor of circuit that extends to relay 13, and when the latter is actuated said switch 'i6 makes contact with conductor Se extending to conductor lil, The arrangement constitutes a holding circuit or relay 'i3 after switch 83 has been closed and then released. Push button 'ill is employed to open the control circuit and stop motor 5I) at any time desired. There is a conductor 86 concting conductors and i8 and having a nor- =y open manually operated switch 8l therein. closing of 'the latter the relay 68 may bV energized at any time to close the power circuit to motors 5@ and 58.

In the operation of the skimming tank, the sh s-.- is forced into the bottom thereof through the solid particles collecting at the bottom the oil rising to the top, and the watervture collecting in the intermediate rei en the skimming tank, including the oil chamber 2Q, becomes substantially full, the oil the top flows through pipe 32 into accumulator te and begins to raise member 3i thereof. Therealter continued `dow of mash into the skimming 'tank closes :doat valve and thereafter increases the internal pressure in the tank until it forces valve thus enabling the oil to be forced through pipe to the settling tank 5l and therefrom to the storage tank 39. is oil is forced from skimming tank, the level of the water therein rises eventuali covers the switch di. Since switch 33, which is in series with switch 8l, alre has been closed by elevation or the accumuor member t i, closing of switch Si eects operation of the contro-i circuit to close relays 6B and '53 and thereby to close the power circuit Ell to the :no-tors 153 and it being understood that switch il normally is positioned to connect said motors to the power circuit.

@poration of motor 55 drives feed screw i9 and thrs effects withdrawal of sludge from the bottom ci? the skimming tank, said sludge passing i; pipe 5l being forced by pump 58 to the dryer i, the dried sludge or meal being conveyed to the and placed in suitable con- 1ers. he unloading screw #le removes maserial iro-r.- the bottom or" the skimming tank rac-ter than the pump 23 can force mash thereinto, with the result that the pressure in the accumu .tor lowered, oil valve closes, and element 3l of the accumulator descends. In fully lowered position element 3l opens swi ch thus re-energizing relays 68 and 'it and openin 'he newer circuit to motors 5t and 5t, bringin, the s to a stop. This completes a cycle or operation which is repeated as soon as pump If sui -ent mash into the tank .l up pressure sufdcient to raise member Tl ci the accumulator. By means of the switch glue recovery system may be caused to operate automatically while the unloading screw is idle, or said glue recovery system may be eraterl a any time desired by means of the sh Whenever it is desired completely to el stv the skimming tank, as for cleaning the the switch 3l may be closed to energize v 5b and'thus to close the power circuit to motors 155i and 58. As soon as sufcient material is withdrawn to reduce the pressure in the tank to atmospheric, valve lli' opens to admit air to the tanksothat sub-atmospheric pressure is not created in the tank. Valve 46 opens after the duid-.level of the material in the tank has been lowered.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the apparatus is largely automatic in operation, thereby saving labor. The mash enters the skimming tank while still hot from the cooking operation whereby maximum separation of oil, water and solids is achieved. The system is almost completely enclosed so that the presence of noxious odors largely is avoided. Another factor contributing to the improvement of working con* ditions is the processing of the sh products shortly after the catch, whereby the operators are not required to handle partly decomposed material. The invention is especially advantageous for installation aboard fishing boats since the content of the skimming tank is under pres sure substantially at all times, and thus is not agitated by motion of the boat. Moreover, a substantial saving of time is effected by processing the waste material before reaching port, and boats equipped with the invention bring home greater pay loads.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope thereof as deiined by the appended claims. While the invention has been illustrated with respect to its employment as a sea-borne plant, obviously the same principles will apply in any installation subject, by the nature of its environment, to motions about an equilibrium position, which motions would tend to defeat an orderly settling process.

What is claimed is:

l. In apparatus for treating oil bearing material, of the type requiring an aqueous component in the digesting process the combination of a closed tank, an accumulator adjacent thereto and having a pipe connection therewith, said accumulator including a pressure responsive member, means for continuously forcing a mash of cooked oil bearing material, including the aqueous component into said tank where said mash separates into respective strata according to the specic gravity of its respective elements, means at an upper level of the tank responsive to pressure of the material at the top of the tank, above atmospheric pressure for initiating outflow of oil from the top thereof, means for withdrawing precipitated solids from the bottom of the tank at a faster rate than the infeed of the mash whereby pressure in the accumulator is reduced, means responsive to the removal of oil from the tank for initiating operation of the solidsremov ing mechanism, and means controlled by the position of the pressure-responsive member of the accumulator for terminating operation of said solids-removing mechanism.

2. In apparatus for treating oil-bearing material, the combination oi' a closed tank, means for continuously forcing a mash of cooked, oilbearing material into said tank, means responsive to a predetermined value of the pressure said material within the iilled tank, which pressure is consequent upon said forcing means, for initiating outflow of oil from the top of the tank, means for withdrawing solids from the bottom of the tank at a greater rate than that at which the material is forced into the tank, and means for terminating withdrawal of the solids as the said pressure of the material in the tank is abated in response to said greater rate of withdrawal.

3. In an installation of the type subject during use tomotion about a position of equilibrium,ythe method of treating organic oil bearing material; of the type requiring an aqueous component in. the digesting process, which comprises continuously cooking and comminuting the material to form a mash, continuously forcing the mash in-A cluding the aqueous component into a closed container until pressure above atmospheric is built up therein at the top of the container, whereupon constituent elements of the mash, including an aqueous phase, separate from each other in accordance with their specic gravities,` withdrawing oil from the top of the container, and then withdrawing precipitated solid matter from the bottom of the container while maintaining the established pressure in the latter after the oil content thereof has been reduced to-.a predetermined amount.

e. In apparatus for treating oil bearing material of the type having an aqueous component,

combination of a closed tank, means for continuously forcing a mash of cooked, oil bearing material, including the aqueous component, into tank where said mash separates into respective strata according to the specific gravitiesof the components, and means at an upper level of the tank responsive to pressure in said material, above atmospheric at the top of the tank forinitiating outflow of oil therefrom under the urging or said forcing means when the pressure in the tank exceeds a predetermined limit.

5. In an installation of the type subject dur ing use to motion about a position of equilibrium, the method of treating organic, oil-bearingma terial of the type requiring an aqueous compoa nent in the digesting process, which comprises continuously forcing cooked, comminuted oilbearing material, including the aqueous component, into a closed container until the same is full and. the material therein is under pressure above atmospheric at the top of the container, the elements of said material separating into respective strata according to their specific gravities during the building of said pressure, and utilizing a predetermined value of said pressure for forcing oil of the upper stratum out of the container.

6. A method as deiined in claim 5 includ-ing the Step of withdrawing material from the lowermost stratum of material in the container after the oil content of the container has been reduced to a predetermined amount, pressure of the material in the container being maintained.

7. In an installation of the type subject during use to motion about a position of equilibrium, the. method of treating organic, oil-bearing material of the t1 pe requiring an aqueous component in the digesting process, which comprises continuously forcing cooked, comminuted oil-bearing material, including the aqueous component, into a closed container until the same is full and the material is under pressure above atmospheric'at the top ci the container, the constituent elements of said materiai separating into respective strata according to their specic gravities during the buildup of said pressure, utilizing a predetermined value of said pressure to force oil of the upper stratum. out oi the container, subsequently withdrawing precipitated solids from the lowermost stratum in the container faster than the comminuted material is forced into the container, and utili ng the resulting diminution of material in the container for terminating the withdrawal oi said precipitated solids at-a pre determined value of said diminution.

8. I'n an intallation of the type subject during use to motion about a position of equilibrium, the method of treating organic, oil-bearing material of the type requiring an aqueous component in the digesting process, which comprises continuously cooking and comminuting the material to form a mash, applying a continuous force upon said mash to urge the same into a closed container, maintaining said force after the container is full whereby a pressure above atmospheric is built up in the container, including the top portion thereof, and, concurrently with said pressure the constituent elements of the mash separate in accordance with their specc gravities, and, at a predetermined pressure, withdrawing the top fraction under the urging of said force.

9. In an installation of the type subject during use to motion about a position of equilibrium, the method of treating oil-bearing material of the type requiring an aqueous component in the di'- gesting process which comprises continuously cooking and comminuting the material to form a mash, applying a continuous force upon said mash to urge the same into a closed container, maintaining said force after the container is full whereby a pressure above atmospheric is built up in the container, including the top portion thereof, and, concurrently with said pressure, the constituent elements of the mash separate in accordance with their specic gravities, withdrawing, at a predetermined value of said pressure, the top fraction under the urging of said force, and thereafter withdrawing the bottom fraction without interruption to the application of said force.

MELVIN J. NAPIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENIS Number Name Date 137,598 Marshall Apr. 8, 1873 668,210 Powter Feb. 19, 1901 1,219,115 Laurento Mar. 13, 1917 2,193,871 Hanno Mar. 1'9, 1940 2,375,590 Schonberg May 8, 1945 2,395,900 Mueller Mar. 5, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS.

Number Country Date 25,425 Great Britain 1901 Certicate of Correction Patent No. 2,468,636. April 26, 1949.

MELVIN J. NAPIER It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed speocation of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 4, lines 49 and 50, strike out duct 48 that is in communication With the interior of the severa1; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oiice.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of November, A. D. 1949.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

